Tool for installing conduit clips



06.22, 1946. ona-[buss 2,409,784 .TOOL FOR INSTALLING CONDUIT curs Filed Sept. 20, 1945 2 Shuts-Sheet 1 [4664 5 M/Vowwuss Oct. 2;, 1946. E, M MOREHOUSE 2,409,784

TOOL FOR INSTALLING CONDUIT CLIPS Filed Sept 20,1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SWUMVM Patented Oct. 22, 1946 TOOL FOR INSTALLINGCONDUIT CLIPS Eugene M. Morehouse, 'Iujunga, Calif., assignor to Adel Precision Products Corp., a corporation of California Application September 20, 1943, Serial No. 503,123

3 Claims. (Cl. 813) This invention relates to a tool by means of which conduit supporting clips may be installed in air craft, and embodies as hereinafter pointed out certain improvements in the tool shown in 2 subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated by Way of example in my United States Letters Patent No. 2,359,237, the accompanying drawings, in which: issued September 26, 1944, and entitled Installa- Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a tool embodying tion tool for conduit clips. my invention as when being brought into position The primary object of the present invention to engage the conduit clip mounted on a conduit; is to provide a tool of the character described Fig. 2 is a Side evat on of the tool as when in which may be readily applied and operated in the position shown in F gmany difierent angles and positions on either Fig. 3 is an elevational view showing an end side of a conduit clip instead of in the manner of the tool as when the outer jaws are engaged to which the tool of said application is limited, with the outer face of one of the ends of the will afford easier access to the apertured ends of clip; the clip in inserting a screw or bolt therethrough Fig- 4 is a fragme tary top plan view of the and in installing or removing the screw or bolt; 11001 w ng the outer jaws lying between the requires a smaller amount of movement of the structural member on which the clip is supported operating lever, is much more rugged and deand said clip, preliminary to removing the tool; pendable in operation, and saves time, labor and g. 5 is a fragmentary 0 1 p Similar to 4 installation costs compared to tools as heretofore showing the manner of Spreading and releasing provided. the jaws from their Fig. 4 position after the clip A further object of my invention is to provide is secured in place; a tool of the character described in which the F 6 is a bottom P View O the ool'when jaws for gripping and holding the apertured ends folded into collapsed position; I of the clips in alignment are substantially 00- 525 Fig. '7 is a side elevation partly in t o S owplanar when in position to hold said ends toingone way of applying and operating the tool; gether, instead of being in different planes with Fig. 8 is an elevational view with the tool apthe outer jaw well below the plane of the inner plied in a reverse manner to its Fig. 7 position; jawas in my former tool, thereby making it pos- Fig. 9 is an elevational view showing the tool sible to apply the tool with the lever on the lower applied from the opposite side of the clip comor upper side of the tool and with the tool in pared to Figs. 7 and 8; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary different positions and angles on either side of side elevational view, partly in section, showing the clip, and assuring the bringing of the apera preferred manner of applying the tool when tures in the ends of the clip into registration, the adjacent structures permit, whereby the tool also disposing the tool so that it does not interis disposed in out-of-way position relative to the fere with straight or angular insertion of the aligned apertures and the operator may insert bolt or screw into said apertures, since in all a screw and screw driver for quickly and easily positions of the tool the inner jaw and adjacent securing the clip in place Without having the tool parts are spaced to one side of said apertures a interierewith such installation. greater distance than in my former tool where Referring to the drawings more specifically, it in case of misalignment of the apertures and an is seen that one embodiment of my improved angular insertion of the bolt is necessary, the tool includes a pair of opposed and preferably inner jaw often prevents or renders diflicult such resilient metal arms I spaced apart in substantial an angular insertion of the bolt. parallelism so that certain corresponding in- Another and more specific object is to provide wardly turned and somewhat pointed ends thereof a tool of the character described in which the will constitute a pair of opposed outer jaws 2 arm or link member connecting the inner and adapted to lie against the outer face of either slidable jaw with the operating lever is conof the apertured ends 3 and 4 of a resilient metal structed to afiord easy access to the apertures conduit-embracing band-like strap 5 depending in the n of the p i p in or r movin on which of said apertured ends said jaws are the o t o c ew in a pertures and in manippositioned in the use of the tool, while said arms ulating a screw driver to set up or remove the bolt extend across and opposite to the side edges of or screw. the ends 3 and 4.

With the foregoing objects in view, together The strap 5 forms the body portion of a standwith such other objects and advantages asmay ard conduit supporting clip now well known in the art and supports a conduit-embracing cushion 6. The ends 3 and 4 of the strap are wide and fiat and normally spaced apart as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and must be brought together with their apertures aligned as shown in Figs. 4 and 10, for example, in order that a bolt or screw I may be inserted and manipulated to secure the clip on the conduit 8% well as to a supporting structure 9.

The other or inner ends of the arms I are joined by a straight cross portion I I! which by means of a staple member II is pivoted to a lever I2 at a point approximately centrally of the ends of the lever as shown in Figs. 2 and 6.

In addition to providing the outer jaws 2 on their outer ends, the arms I slidably support a sliding jaw I3 extending transversely between said arms and which as here shown is one square end of a plate-like link or arm I4 pivoted at its other and reduced end as at I5 to the lever I 2 at a point between one end of the lever and the portion I and nearer to said one end than to said portion III. The sliding connection between the jaw I3 and the arms I is provided by means of two integral guide members It located at the ends of the jaw I3 which forms part of the plate-like link I4 and slidably hooked onto said arms as best shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The members I6 are formed as curled tongues bent to hook around the upper, outer and under sides of the arms I. The plate-like character of the link I4 makes it possible to form said tongues at minimum cost.

The jaw I3 is adapted to engage the outer face of one of the apertured ends of the strap 5, For example, as shown in Fig. 2, if the jaws 2 are set against the outer face of the apertured end 3, then jaw I3 will engage the outer face of the other end 4 upon manipulating the lever I2 from position shown in Fig. 2 to position shown in Fig. 7, thereby clamping the ends 3 and 4 together as shown in Figs. 4 and '7, in preparation for applying the screw or bolt 1'. The tool will remain in position shown in Fig. '7 due to its toggle action and past center movement of the lever I2 thereby leaving both hands of the operator free to install the nut or bolt.

The arms I are adapted to be spread apart to spread the jaws 2 apart whereby they may be readily moved into position to engage one of the ends 3 and A of the strap 5, after which the arms I and jaws 2 are moved toward one another to engage said one of said ends, for example as shown in Fig. 3. However, where the clip installation, the width of the ends of the clip, the construction of the support for the clip and adjacent structures permit, the jaws 2 and I3 may be positioned to engage the ends 3 and 4 of the clip without spreading the arms l and jaws 2 apart, it being only necessary to have the jaw I3 moved rearwardly along the arms I from jaws 2 sufficiently to bring the jaws downward over the ends 3 and 4 in opposition to the outer faces of said ends.

To provide for the spreading apart of the jaws 2, the arms I at points intermediate their ends have oblique and inwardly convergent portions I! which when the guide members I6 and jaw I3 are moved thereon toward the inner or pivoted ends of the arms I, will allow the arms to spring apart, said arms being tensioned as to move apart as the jaw is moved in the manner above noted.

When the arms I are spread apart as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the Straight portions I8 of said arms extending between the jaws 2 and the convergent portions I I will extend divergently from said portions I1. Therefore when the jaw I3 is moved outwardly toward the jaws 2, the guide members IS in sliding along the arm portions I8 will move portions I8 together thereby moving the jaws 2 into position to engage an end of the strap while the jaw I3 is moved to engage the other end of the strap. When the two ends 3 and 4 of the strap 5 are moved together, as shown in Fig. 4, the arm portions I8 are substantially parallel and substantially coplanar with the jaws I and I3.

It should be noted that the jaw I3 is notched as at I3 to accommodate the rib formations 3 and 4' on the strap ends 3 and 4 respectively whereby a close gripping contact of the jaw transversely of said ends is assured and the jaws are prevented from slipping out of place. Fig. 3 shows how the opposed jaws 2 lie on opposite sides of the rib 3 in a depression 5' formed by off-setting the end 3 relative to the strap 5. This makes the jaws 2 lie substantially flush with the outer face of the offset portion of the end 3 (see Figs. 3 and 4) and permits of withdrawing the jaws 2 by spreading them apart after the clip is installed, as shown in Fig. 4.

With the arms I substantially horizontally disposed as shown for example in Fig. 2, it is seen the arm portions I8 are downwardly inclined from and angularly related to the convergent portions I! from the inner ends of which latter the remaining portions I9 of said arms leading to the pivot or cross portion IQ are extended angularly upward in the opposite manner to the portions I8. The link or arm I 4 is bent or bowed outwardly intermediate its ends as at 20 so that the link is somewhat angular. These constructions and arrangements, together with the locations of the two pivots, make it possible to fully operate the tool with a lever movement of approximately degrees of are as against approximately degrees of lever movement required in the tool shown in my former application and this saves time and effort and makes possible operation of the tool in confined spaces, Moreover, the various bends of the arms I and I4 provide for a straight line thrust of the jaws, the collapse of the tool into smaller compass than in the tool shown in said pending application, and make possible the application of the tool in the various positions shown in Figs. '7, 8, 9 and 10.

An important feature of this invention is that of having the jaws 2 and I3 substantially coplanar instead of the jaws 2 being spaced well below the plane of jaw 13 as provided in the tool shown in said application. The straight portion E8 of the arms on which the jaw I3 rests when engaged with one of the ends 3 and 4 make this possible, it being noted that in my former tool the portions of the arms corresponding to portions I8 hereof were arcuate.

By having the jaws 2 and I3 coplanar or substantially so, it is seen they will more efiectively grip and hold the ends 3 and 4 of the strap and pull them together so as to insure alignment of the apertures therein. Moreover, this arrangement of the jaws 2 and I3 makes it possible to apply the tool in the various ways shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive.

Fig. '7 shows the jaws 2 and I3 engaging the ends 3 and l respectively with the tool nearly horizontal and the lever I2 uppermost. Fig. 8 shows the tool reversed and the lever lowermost. Fig. 9 shows the tool applied to bring jaws 2 against end 3 and jaw I3 against end 3. Fig. 10 shows the tool in the reversed position of Fig. 8, and engaging the clip as shown in Fig. 7, but

the tool extends upwardly and obliquely outward as shown in Fig. 10. v

To provide for ready access to the apertured ends 3 and 4 of the clip when the tool is set to hold said ends together, particularly as shown in Fig. 10, a large square opening 2| is provided in the arm or link Hi. As shown in Fig. 10, the opening 2| fully exposes the ends 3 and 4 permitting of an easy insertion or removal of the bolt as well as the manipulation of a screw driver to set or remove the bolt even when the bolt must be angularly inserted or removed in case of misalignment of the apertures in said ends of the clip.

While I have shown and described specific embodiments of my invention I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a tool for installing a band-like conduitembracing and supporting clip having a pair of opposed ends adapted to be forced together to clamp the clip on a conduit and position said ends for application thereto of means for securing them together, a pair of opposed arms spaced apart and adapted to be positioned opposite corresponding edges of said ends of the clip, jaw means extending between said arms at certain corresponding ends thereof for engaging the outer face of one of the ends of the clip, an operating lever, means pivotally connecting the other ends of said arms to said lever to afford a fulcrum therefor, a slidable jaw supported on said arms for movement into and out of engagement with the outer face of the other of the ends of said clip, the portions of said arms on which said slidable jaw is positioned being straight, said jaw means and said slidable jaw being substantially coplanar when the latter is on said straight portions of said arms; and a connecting arm fixed at one end to said slidable jaw and pivoted at its other end to said lever at a point nearer to one end of the lever than to the fulcrum of the lever for sliding said slidable jaw on said pair of arms toward and away from said jaw means when said lever is rocked on its fulcrum, said connecting arm having an opening therein adjacent said sliding jaw to permit of access to the ends of the 6 clip therethrough when the tool is positioned in front of said ends when clamping the clip on the conduit.

2. In a tool for installing a band-like conduit-embracing and supporting clip having a pair of opposed ends adapted to be forced together to clamp the clip on a conduit and position said ends for application thereto of means for securing them together, a pair of opposed arms spaced apart and adapted to be positioned opposite corresponding edges of said ends of the clip, opposed inwardly turned ends on said arms forming a pair of jaws for engaging the outer face of one of the ends "of said clip, an operating lever, means for pivotally connecting the ends of said arms opposite to the jaws to said lever to provide a fulcrum for the lever, a plate-like link having one of its ends pivoted on the lever between one end of the lever and the fulcrum therefore, said link having its other end presenting an edge transversely of and between said arms as a law to engage the outer face of the other of said ends of the clip; and tongues on said link bent around said arms and slidably holding the jaw end of the link on said arms, said link having an opening therein adjacent its jaw end through which opening a bolt or screw may be inserted and removed.

3. In a tool for installing a band-like conduit embracing and supporting cli having a pair of opposed ends adapted to be forced together to clamp the clip on a conduit and position said ends for application thereto of means for securing them together, a pair of opposed arms spaced apart and adapted to be positioned opposite corresponding edges of said ends of the clip, jaw means extending between said arms at certain corresponding ends thereof for engaging the outer face of one of the ends of the clip, an operating lever, means pivotally connecting the other ends of said arms to said lever to afford a fulcrum therefor, and an elongated member including a jaw portion which is slidably supported over said arms for movement into and out of engagement with the outer face of the other of the ends of said clip, said member having through it an opening adjacent to its said jaw portion to permit access therethrough to the ends of the clip when the tool is positioned in front of said ends when clamping the clip on a conduit.

EUGENE M. MOREHOUSE. 

